PRINCESS PHYLLIS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 207, 22 August 1908, Page 3

PRINCESS PHYLLIS

(By Reeves Shaw.)

It was really too hot for anything. The river, Dick Montague had though l, was about the coolest place at such a time, so he had taken a canoe ani paddled gently up the Mother, eventually, with a sigh of relief, almost bumping into a large lump of laud that had stuck itself right in the middle of the stream. The island was thickly covered with trees, and large bushes overhung the water.

into tuc shade of one of these Dick pulled his little craft. It was very pleasant and restlu] here, so it suited our idle young friend completely. Dick was a fellow whom fortune had done well but not sulUcieutly; he had one of those tantalising incomes which are small enough to make you wish for more, but Wg enough to convince you that work Ss vulgar and unnecessary. He had ail the qualities natural to the Jazy man; he was easy-going, goodhumoured, and generous. Consequently, he was popular with both sexes.

He was resting in rustic Jlelborough. He had.suddenly found tlutt llirliug was very fatiguing, and a country holiday all alone was a prospect too alluring to be denied. Hence his. sojourn in this old-worid place. But lie was obliged to admit that girls, though their society demands some exertion, are in many ways most essential to a peaceful liie. Drowsily dreaming on tne question Dick came to the

conclusion that they supplied the rigut atmosphere. And they were very handy at supplying little addenda to ones luxury—a cushion correctly placed, a laugh rightly sounded, and all that sort of thing. It was charming here, but a sympathetic and pretty girl would just complete the picture.

The omission was sad. Dick couldn't be happy, so he became restless. He wondered what the interior of the island was like. Stepping out of his canoe, he tied it to a convenient branch, and in curiosny pushed his way through some twenty yards of brambles and briers. Presently he found himself on the fringe of a clearing. Emerging into this, he suddenly stop-

ped with an exclamation of amazement. For there, facing him, swinging in a hammock, an open book in her hand, was a young and beautiful girl. To the left was a tent, near by which were t# the requirements for " campingout." Hastily Dick glanced round for sign of other person. There was none. " I beg your pardon," he said, as he remembered to speak. "I'm trespassing." "Not at'all," replied this island fairy. "At least no more than I." She swung herself out of the hammock, and came towards hiin. "Really, I've been longing for someone to talk to. We can't be strictly conventional in such a place as this. Won't you shake hands? I'm all alone here."

Dick dearly wanted to say something splendid, something appropriately "superb. But his wits wouldn't grapple with .the situation, and the troubled look on his face seemed to frighten the girl. She drew back a couple of steps. "How did you come here?" she asked, an anxious falter in her voice. "You'ic not a spy!" "A spy! Good heavens, no! It was just luck that brought me here—jolly good luck," he added, half to himself. But she heard, aud; of course, was pleased.

"But what are you doing here by yourself?" Dick weut on. "How long are you staying?" "Ah, that's a Very important secret. 1 have run away. Nobody must know where 1 am, or dreadful things will happen. I'm hiding—why, 1 can't tell you. You'd advise me if I did!" the merry face had darkened; under the clustered golden hair the white forehead had puckered into furrows; the eyes, half-closed, shone through a veil of tears. Yet the shadow was only for a moment, and suddenly laughing she said:

" But if you promise to be very, very good, to ask no questions, and to tell nobody vou have seen me, you and I can be friends. Awl—and perhaps you'll stay to share my lunch." Such an invitation could not be refused, so Dick agreed to the terms. A» they ate and were happy—the simple little meal of steak, boiled potatoes, aud the inevitable tea Dick thougnt divine—she prattled gaily about her

island life. When he prayed for her name, having given her his, she said very simply: "You may call me Phyllis." j "Princess Phyllis!" he replied, poetic* ally, though much perturbed that he couldn't seize on a rhyme. "Princess Phyllis of " "As you will," she laughed. w Phyllis no-Matter, 'iPrincess Phyllis' >s> very pretty." . "She is," replied Dick with conviction. And the complimdnt pleased the It was nearly five o'clock before Dick left the island. The hours had llown with incredible swiftness. It had been, the laziest, the most delicious afternoonof bis life. , "The Princess came to see hun oil, uui not right down, to the water's edge. She could not have been seen by anyone on the river. "Good-bye," she said. "Come again, hut not too often, or someone will remark it. To-morrow? Well, in the evening, about half-past seven, then. Mind, not till the evening." .. And with a wave of her hand, she

turned back into the trees. That evening, Richard Montague found himself unaccountably peaceless. His thoughts would keep returning to the Princess, the island, and her mysterious seclusion there. , He tried to find comfort and mteiest in the evening paper. The news, somehow, seemed all to revolve round I Hjilis Was she interested in the turt. Did she care that Middlesex had beaten Yorkshire? Fire in the City—she knew the place perhaps. .And, good heavens, K P Hiram, the Hairpin King, was dead'' Phyllis didn't know it—it might be a matter of the utmost moment to her. On the other hand it might not; but the risk-—! . The thought of the Princess cut off from all the news of the world, from the knowledge more especially of the handing in of K. P. Hiram's checks, moved Dick to great deeds. He would take a boat right away and take the paper to her 1 . Even if all the news in it was eventless to her, Bhe would be grateful for the thought.

■So once agin lie rowed up the river and ran his craft silently under the bushes. The long summer evening was fading, so possibly she had retired to rest in the tent. If this were so, he intended to throw the paper into the clearing, where she would iind it in the morning, and, linding it, think of him. So as to ensure the thoughts coining in the 'right direction, he scribbled his initials on the paper's border. lie was

taking no chances. - He trod as noiselessly as he could, and presently, approaching the encampment, peeped through the trees. The next moment lie was striding swiftly, ashamed and mortified, back towards his boat. For he had been treated to a glimpse of* a lovers' Paradise. The Princess, gathered in the arms of a six-foot Prince, was being rapturously kissed! Kicliard Montague rode back to Melborough in a deplorable temper. The enchanted island was only a clandestine meeting-place! This, then, was the cherished secret!

Dick didn't sleep an hour that night. He wasn't worrying over Phyllis, of .course; she wasn't worth it. He'd never lliink of her again. But the" poor deluded lover—hia was a ease that cried for pity; Dick thought he would die to help this fellow fool. But what good Mould that do—Phyllis viould find sonic other innocent, and Dick couldn't die every time. Of course he wouldn't keep

his appointment in the evening, lie assured himself so at. the breakfast lie couldn't eat. Ho kept assuring himself so all the morning, till finally he went round to the Chichester girls to see if they would play tennis. lie used to think rather a lot of the Chichester girls; in fact, Muriel ami Elsie hart for a long time run a deadheat for his affections. Hut to-day their "lories seemed to he dimmed. .Muriel was unsympathetic, tier sister positively stupid. He wondered how Phyllis" would play tennis, lie pictured her quick, laughing, the simlii'lit shimmering on her golden hair, her white arms oh, hang Phyllis! Afternoon came and passed, but not Dick's ill-lmiuoiir. Tt. was Phyllis, Phyllis Phvllis, all the time with him, try to flee' it how he would. He was pist eomiii" nut of his hotel when he ran full : tilt iifto Vnclc Benjamin. I'uelc Bcupa■,mn. solicitor, shrewd, successful. 11a rrt--1 headed, hard-hearted Philistine, proverostullYd. maxim-gorged. As narrow as he ; was necessary, and as necessary as food to Dick. ' 1 He was the last person in the world

Dick wanted to meet at such a moment. He hated him like poison, but had to be oolite for "expectation's" sake. And i„. re he was. with Auntie Benjamin. What in thunder had brought them? " Ah, Richard, my bov, the very man re ar* looking for. Your aunt and I

are down here oji business, very fatiguing business, very unsuccessful business. Knowing you wore here wo came to got you to row us up the river.. A little pleasurable relaxation will do us good. We will have tea, up the river, les, you go and get the hotel people to fix up a hamper." Dick groaned, and pleaded any amount ot previous appointments. Hi's

excuses were very clever, admirably e.v pressed, wrapped up sweetly in every way, but they did not do for his -e----spected relative. '•'Look here, Richard," said that worthy impressively, " them's five hundred a year for you when I'm done with rivers and teas. That's a nice little sum to look forward to, Mellaril, but it won't oe there if you are too conscientious about those other engagements." Uncle Ucnjamin was brutally lucid. But he got his way, and soon Lick was 'struggling fiercely in an awful effort to heave a great, unwieldy, hold-eiglit-casily tub up the river. Auntie had chosen this horrible boat because it. looked '" so safe." |

' Presently they readied Phyllis's Island. Here of all places Uncle Benjamin wanted to laud for tea. "My dear uncle," Dick protested vehemently, "it's absurd. I was en there the other day, er—er, bird-nesting! It's horribly marshy—you sink rigit down to your knees! There's a much prettier place a little higher up." This was simply a'wild, hopeful guess. However, they passed the island, and Dick could have sworn he caught a glimpse' of a white skirt through the bushes. Phyllis was wailing for him, I

then; hoping he would came early perhaps. As he pulled the old, dragging boat along, Phyllis became reinstated as queeu of his heart. Another mile higher, Dick ran his water-waggonette into a little island, and disembarked the passengers. He chose a suitable spot for the picnic, lit a fire, made the tea, and got his relatives comfortable. After the meal his I uncle talked dry family matters for a f while, and had then, propping himself pleasantly against a tree, gone to sleep. Auntie, fishing out from somewhere a ball of wool and a crochet hook, had

placidly engaged herself in work. 'Twilight had descended upon them before, auntie poked her husband in the ribs with her parasol. "Benjamin," she said, "don't you think we'd butter be returning!" "Goodness me, dear, yes! Where's Richard? Richard I Richard!" The island resounded with his shouts, but no Dick came. Uncle Benjamin then made the appalling discovery that the boat was gone. They were marooned. They shouted in chorus, but no one heard them.

Dick, seeing one relative wrapped in slumber and the other in crochet, had seized the and the boat. A stiff pull down to Phyllis's Island, a few minutes with the Princess, and quickly back again before his uncle and aunt should mis s him.

When Dick reached t he/ clearing on the island an unexpected sight met his eyes. The tent was down, and lay rolled up on the ground. Then his astonished eyes saw a notice stuck breast high on a tree trunk H was m pencil, and read: "E.Ji Yoii have frightened me away.—Phyllis " hel " aw^'! What in'tie woild did she mean? lie couldn't imagine. His bewildered brain only grasped one thing-she had gone, and he must catch her if he could. The only thing open for her to do was to catch the 8.10, the last train out of Melborough. He looked at Ins watch It was ten minutes to the hour already.

Twenty minutes to ioTt, in! In a pantechnicon sort of boat that was iron to shift. It would be an heroic accomplishment. But ho felt heroic So that was all right. He lammed into the water furiously; the old tub groaned under the strain; Dick groaned too, pretty soon, but he kept going. Every go a groan, but he was through Choneton Bridge at ehdit o'clock. "

Dick rushed into the station with a minute to spare. The Princess was alone on tho platform. "Phyllis," he cried, gasping, "what's tho joke?" It was certainly a curious way of expressing it, but then he hadn't much time to pick his words. "That—that man in the boat!" she said, trembling. "My uncle—Benjamin Knowly." - " Your uncle?" "Yes!" "He's chasing me." "The old. villain! Why?" " It's a long story. I'm his ward."

"Come into the waiting room and tell me all about it:" The train fortunately was late, or perhaps Dick would never have heard her romance. She told him how a spinster aunt of hers had left a tremendous lot of money, on the one condition she married before she was one-and-twenty. Uncle Benjamin was appointed her guardian, anil lie had to approve of for her she could, not like.

He had beer, so persistent with her, had wrangled to tenaciously and frequently, that she had almost given in. Then at the last moment she had tied. "Now," she concluded just as the train came in, "let me go or I shall miss the train." Dick kept his back to the door. "I mean you to," he said. "What! and be found by my guardian?" Dick nodded. "And be married—married to Ml Vallanee Cadwallader?" "No," said Dick, "to me. -"Will you?" The Princess dropped her eyes demurely, and a charming blush suffused her cheek.

"I'd like to," she said softly. "But will Uncle Benjamin consent?" The train went out of the station. Dick laughed. "He must—he'll have to. I've just remembered. So as to come and see you I left him—hiin and auntie—marooned on an island a mile above yours. I won't bring him off till he consents. Come, let's go to him now." And she came.

"Tho dear old island," she murmured, as they passed it. "To think that it brought me you, Dickie dear. Audi had another visitor hist night, Dickie. My brother, dear old boy, rushed all tho way down from town specially to see me."

Dick had scarcely finished metaphorically kicking himself for being a suspicious, uncharitable, jealous, misjudging ass, when they were abreast of the luarooners.

Auntie was endeavouring to keep her- I self from fainting liy chewing long j strips of crochet wool. Uncle Benjamin was unmistakably swearing. After the first, complicated storm was over, Dick, standing un in the boat, stated the rescue terms. Uncle Benjamin blustered—at first. Talked about corruption, blackmail, even homicide, should he get rheumatic fever and succumb. Dick was firm. "For auntie's sake?" lie suggested. Einally the old man gave in. He even chuckled at nephew Kichard's cuteness. The 'cute one lore a leaf out of his pocket-book, wrote I 0 U Phyllis" on it, and pased it to his uncle to sign. "I don't know that it's valid in law," he said, "but anyhow it'll be an interesting memento] By-the-way, uncle, how does one get a special license?"